NBA

By Eric Jacinto

​The 2017/18 NBA season is here and it starts tonight in an Eastern Conference rematch as the Boston Celtics travel to Cleveland and play the Cavaliers. In the second game of the night, it's the Houston Rockets taken on the defending NBA Champions, the Golden State Warriors. Will be Predicting all 30 teams records and placement, playoff predictions and awards picks.

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​2017/18 NBA Predictions and Season Awards:

* Playoff Team (Seeds)

Western Conference:

Northwest:

1. *Oklahoma City Thunder 55-27 (3)

2. *Minnesota Timberwolves 54-28 (5)

3. *Utah Jazz 46-36 (7)

4. Portland Trail Blazers 45-37

5. Denver Nuggets 44-38

Pacific:

1. *Golden State Warriors 72-10 (1)

2. *Los Angeles Clippers 46-36 (8)

3. Los Angeles Lakers 35-47

4. Phoenix Suns 32-50

5. Sacramento Kings 31-51

Southwest:

1. *Houston Rockets 61-21 (2)

2. *San Antonio Spurs 56-28 (4)

3. *New Orleans Pelicans 48-34 (6)

4. Memphis Grizzlies 42-40

5. Dallas Mavericks 40-42

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic:

1. *Boston Celtics 58-24 (1)

2. *Toronto Raptors 52-30 (5)

3. *Philadelphia 76ers 45-37 (7)

4. Brooklyn Nets 30-52

5. New York Knicks 24-58

Central:

1. *Cleveland Cavaliers 57-25 (2)

2. *Milwaukee Bucks 56-26 (3)

3. Indiana Pacers 33-49

4. Detroit Pistons 32-50

5. Chicago Bulls 20-62

Southeast:

1. *Washington Wizards 53-39 (4)

2. *Miami Heat 47-35 (6)

3. *Charlotte Hornets 44-38 (8)

4. Orlando Magic 30-52

5. Atlanta Hawks 22-60

Western Conference Playoffs:

First Round Predictions:

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers

Prediction: Warriors in 4 Games

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Utah Jazz

Prediction: Rockets in Six Games

(3) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Prediction: Thunder in 6 Games

(4) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Minnesota Timberwolves

Prediction: Spurs in 7 Games

Quarterfinals Predictions:

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs

Prediction: Warriors in 5 Games

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Oklahoma City Thunder

Prediction: Rockets in 7 Games

Western Conference Finals:

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Houston Rockets

Prediction: Rockets in 6 Games

Eastern Conference Playoffs:

First Round Predictions:

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Charlotte Hornets

Prediction: Celtics in 4 Games

(2) Cleveland Cavilers vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers

Prediction: Cavailers in 5 Games

(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Miami Heat

Prediction: Bucks in 7 Games

(4) Washington Wizards vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

Prediction: Wizards in 7 Games

Quarterfinals Predictions:

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Washington Wizards '

Prediction: Celtics in 6 Games

(2) Cleveland Cavilers vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks

Prediction: Cavaliers in 5 Games

Eastern Conference Finals Predictions:

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Cleveland Cavailers

Prediction: Cavaliers in 7 Games

2018 NBA Finals Prediction:

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers

Prediction: Cavaliers in 7 Games

Finals MVP: LeBron James

NBA Sleeper Team: Denver Nuggets

NBA Most Disappointed Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Dark-Horse Team to win the NBA Championship: Houston Rockets

NBA Season Awards Predictions:

NBA MVP: James Harden (Houston Rockets)

Dark-Horse NBA MVP: Jimmy Butler (Minnesota Timberwolves)

NBA Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs)

NBA Rookie of the Year: Josh Jackson (Phoenix Suns)

NBA Dark-Horse Rookie of the Year: De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings)

NBA Sixth Man of the Year: Dario Saric (Philadelphia 76ers)

NBA Most Improve of the Year: Willy Hernangomez (New York Knicks)

NBA Coach of the Year: Jason Kidd (Milwaukee Bucks)

NBA Scoring Champion: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Dark-Horse Scoring Champion: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)

Five Bold Predictions:

1A. Joel Embiid plays 60+ games and 1B. Is in the conversation for the MVP!

2. LeBron James breaks Russell Westbrook's Triple Double record!

3. The Houston Rockets win 65+ games and get the number one seed in the West!